Tapping the Grid
by Nalana
Summary: One of Rodney's discoveries leads to a spandexlicious surprise! One-Shot crossover


Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own either of these.

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Sheppard strode down the hallways near the east pier with reluctance, grumbling internally about being called away to one of McKay's usually eventually disastrous discoveries. He skidded to a stop as Elizabeth Weir turned the corner almost running directly into him. She looked a little worse for wear, dark bags barely disguised under her eyes. She politely smiled as he motioned forward. It seemed like neither of them were looking forward to this. But, as always, any new technology found had to be seen to. They never knew when they could discover a new ZPM-like energy source or defense weapon.

"There you two are! Seesh. I'll just keep doing all the work around here. You two just come at your leisure. Lorne and his guys...er, gal...where IS your team?" Sheppard twitched slightly at McKay's onslaught of blabber. Sheppard cast a glance over to Major Lorne and his remaining team member who was already ignoring the doctor and eyeing the computer systems around her.

"...Oh never mind." Rodney waved, snapping his fingers at the girl. "Merangue. Merina..."

"Moreno?" The woman snapped to attention though her voice was lined with irritation as her commanding officer sent her a knowing look.

"Yes, you. You're always poking away at things that get you in trouble. Here, take a look at this." Rodney said throwing a tablet PC at her before going back to the larger consol.

"But this isn't my area of com sci--" She began but when Rodney started to sigh with disgust she shot her eyebrows up and with a nod from Lorne opened up the program.

Sheppard nodded as he heard the doors behind him open and the other two members of his team wander in looking like they had just come from the base's gym area. They took their spots to his left, knowing that this could take a while. Finally it was Elizabeth who cleared her throat.

"Rodney? We all have business we came from at your bequest. If you wouldn't mind--"

"Oh no WAY." Moreno's voice rose above them all just as Rodney was opening his mouth. The lead scientist glared. The lieutenant mumbled an apology and cleared her throat, turning silently back to the tablet.

"Of course, waaaay." He mocked her. "I think I just solved our understaffed problem." He grinned like a child on their birthday.

"And if it's anything like what I think it is, this will also lead us to a new bit of arsenal which I'm sure you'll be happy to play with, Sheppard." Rodney said as a passing note practically skipping to the towers beside the new computer and pushed a few buttons.

"Is it some sort of catalogue or database?" Elizabeth ventured.

"Yes, yes, sort of...Elizabeth you. here..." he pointed to a consol that display scrolling text. The expedition leader exchanged an 'I know I have to be nice' look with her military officer who gave her a playfully encouraging face. She smirked and walked over, her expression quickly changing to one of concentration.

"What I've got here is a separate energy source. It's almost like a contained reality...except it only contains data and energy. I can't quite determine what KIND of energy...but if these readings on OUR tech are so massive..." Rodney was grinning from ear to ear.

"This is speaking of some sort of defense force, an elite set of warriors the Ancients attempted to design to defend the city against the Wraith. It appears they finished their experiments in time, but received the order to evacuate before they could instate these fighters." Elizabeth half mumbled from her corner.

"...You mean, like their own super soldiers?" Lorne shuddered at the memory of what those beings had done in the Milky Way.

"Not quite..." Rodney grinned, pressing another button that opened a slot on one of the nearby towers. Inside were five wristband attachable symbols. He picked one up, pocketed one for himself, and tossed another towards Sheppard and to each of his teammates. "More like..."

"Power Rangers!" all heads turned to Moreno whose eyes were sparkling. She cleared her throat, turning her eyes back down to her tablet. "What? It's true."

"Uh...no." Rodney scoffed, wagging his finger in the air. "These are supreme soldiers, capable of things we never thought we could accomplish with science in our day."

"So, rangers." Lorne added with a smirk as one was tossed to him. Rodney glared and moved on.

"But thanks to my genius, we might just be able to adapt it. If we can get these things working." He said poking his wristband.

"Well as appealing as the sound of spandex is..." Sheppard joked, though the hint that he knew what he was speaking of made the lieutenant grin a little. "I'm not sure I'd look fantastic in bright yellow." He circled the color stripe his band with a finger."

"Yes, yes. If we could move past titles, children..." Rodney sighed, "Elizabeth, I've determined there's some code but I think it's linguistic...probably voice coded after their first activation. Any clue from those."

"I'm not quite sure how to say this in English..." the leader said with honesty. "The ancients weren't always word for word...But it has to do something with their struggle and the ocean, the waves I believe..."

"It'll probably rhyme." Moreno muttered, earning another glare from Rodney. "What? Most ancient incantations or writings, or things with formality would have a certain sound. The only thing that could convey between languages, assuming they'll even responds to something that isn't ancient..."

"Would be sound patterns. At least the way things would sound together. Rhyming has its own beat." Elizabeth said with a smile. "I never knew you were a linguist, lieutenant."

"I'm not... I just... have way too many languages in my head." Moreno said with a smile. "Three different ones at home." She said honestly.

"You should hear my head." Elizabeth smiled. Rodney sighed, bringing them back to attention. "Sorry."

"So we sit here saying random things?" Ronon sounded completely unimpressed.

"Final Fight, Water Brings Light?" Rodney suggested.

"Silly Squabbles make me Lose my Marbles?" Sheppard tried to the chagrin of those around him.

"I think it's simple." Elizabeth muttered, taking another look at the code. "Battlefield, Tidal Shield?" the leaders words sparked lights that quickly died in the instruments Rodney had found. Lorne's had glowed longer, keeping mislead hope up longer then it should have been.

Rodney scrambled around the room looking at each of them. He muttered. And groaned, and returned to the consol to enter more information. They attempted the call several more times with the same results. Elizabeth piped up.

"Rodney, why don't you keep us updated? We have to get back too--"

"Just...one more try..." Rodney muttered, ignoring her.

"What if I left one--"

"Just hold on." Rodney held up a finger. Lorne sighed and looked to Moreno who looked antsy. He chuckled, He called upon her. She tilted her head.

"I'm just saying, maybe I watch too much children's T.V. but... there's a very simple reason as to why this isn't working, sir."

"Oh and a grease monkey can tell me exactly why technology beyond even my brain isn't working?" Rodney shot up getting tired of the military girl who held her hands in the air.

"Go on, lieutenant." Sheppard allowed her to speak.

"Well, sir, you were right actually." Sheppard perked up at Rodney's squizzled expression. He loved hearing that when it bothered Rodney, even if he didn't know how he had won this time. "Yellow isn't your color. You all have the wrong morphers. May I?"

Sheppard offered her his wrist. She took the strap from his wrist and walked over to Teyla who took her own off. Moreno beamed, taking Teyla's color. "Black..." Moreno grinned and tossed it to her commanding officer. He tossed his, a green, back in return. "Huh, that's why yours almost worked..." She handed the green to Ronon who gave her his morpher. She looked in confusion.

"Well?" Rodney waited.

"There's something missing." She muttered. "This is blue. You have a...pink?" Moreno blinked as she swapped with Rodney.

"Oh..." Rodney groaned, not realizing that if he moved from the light he was in, the colored lines on the morphers turned from red its more 'feminine' shade. "Why don't you give it a go, then. You're a chick."

"I'm not a ranger. And I'm not pink." Moreno said firmly walking over to the consol and grinning. Another panel opened revealing a white and a red on one line and a silver below the two of them.

"Bingo..." She snatched in the pink for the white and offered it to Elizabeth. "Ma'am."

"I'm afraid not..." Elizabeth held up her hands. "That's not my position, lieutenant. I don't fight."

"You don't? Ma'am, excuse me but there are more ways to battle then with your fists. Just because you're capable of something doesn't mean that you utilize every ability you have."

"Come on, 'Lizbeth. What are the chances these things will do anything other then make us look ready for Halloween." John coaxed her. The leader sighed and took the morpher reluctantly.

"Sir." Moreno tossed the remaining morpher to the Colonel.

"Thanks." He smiled attaching the band onto his arm. "What about the other two?"

"Well, were this the show..." Moreno offered. "You would have a pink here...somewhere, but the silver's probably meant for someone we don't know yet."

"So..." Sheppard offered, stepping forward. Moreno encouraged the others to line up behind him. "Lets do this. Ready?"

"Ready." The others said unsure.

"Battlefield, Tidal Shield!" Each of them said with a surprising conviction, completing a motion none of them had been taught. In a flash of light the leaders of Atlantis had changed from their normal uniforms to just what Sheppard had feared: bright colored spandex.

"Oh you've got to be KIDDING!" Rodney groaned looking down at himself. The line that had been Elizabeth, Lorne, Rodney, John, Ronon, and Teyla now had the white, black, blue, red, green, and yellow Lantean rangers standing in a row. Moreno grinned from ear to ear with pride.

"So..." John looked down at himself. "Moreno, since you're the expert in this...strange...stuff...Any clue how to get OUT of the suits?"

"Power down?" Moreno suggested.

The six exchanged looks, and tried. The suits disappeared. Ronon actually looked slightly disappointed. Teyla look skeptical. Rodney...looked sick.

"Just be glad you weren't compelled to do a sound off." Moreno's eyes twinkled as she crossed her arms. Sheppard cleared his throat. She stood at attention.

Internally Sheppard was giddy. He had to admit it. Rodney had surely done it this time. He, personally, couldn't wait to see what kind of bang this new title brought.


End file.
